Mitomycin C enhanced the antitumor efficacy of Rocaglamide in colorectal cancer.

Rocaglamide (ROC), a natural phytochemical isolated from Aglaia species, is a translational inhibitor of de novo c-FLIP synthesis, which relieves the inhibition of c-FLIP dimerization with procasoase-8 and downstream activation. Unfortunately, a lot of cancer cells, especially colorectal cancer cells (CRC), exhibit marked resistance to Rocaglamide-induced cell death. Research has demonstrated that mitomycin C (MMC) has broad-spectrum anti-tumor activity that it can synergize with a wide range of clinical drugs to inhibit tumor growth. The current study investigated whether MMC combined with ROC could sensitize CRC cells with different ROC resistance to apoptosis. HCT116 and HT29, two different CRC cells, were treated with ROC and/or MMC, and the induction of apoptosis, inhibition of cell migration and invasion, arrest of cell cycle, induction of reactive oxygen species, and effects on Bcl-2 family signaling pathway were investigated. The results showed that low concentration of MMC combined with ROC significantly promoted HCT116 and HT29 cell apoptosis and inhibited cell proliferation by downregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and c-FLIP, upregulating the expression of Bax, activating the caspase cascade (involving the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway), arresting cell cycle in G1 phase, and increasing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, the viability and morphology of MRC-5 cells were not significantly affected by the combined treatment with ROC and MMC, indicating its safety. Therefore, it is concluded that the combination treatment of ROC and MMC is a highly effective tumor therapy and may offer a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CRC.

Cd2+ tolerance and removal mechanisms of Serratia marcescens KMR-3.

Heavy metal contamination is a global issue, with cadmium (Cd2+) and its treatment becoming major environmental challenge that could be solved by microbial restoration, an eco-friendly technique. Serratia marcescens KMR-3 exhibits high tolerance and removal rate of Cd2+ (≤500 mg/L). Here, we aimed to explore mechanisms underlying tolerance to and removal of Cd2+ by KMR-3. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry were conducted to analyze characteristics of the KMR-3 biofilm and Cd2+ combined forms. The results revealed varying degrees of cell adhesion, membrane thickening, and shrinkage on the surface of the bacteria. The binding elements, electronic binding energy, and functional groups on the surface of the bacteria exhibited changes. Furthermore, the biofilm amount following treatment with Cd2+ was 1.5-3 times higher than that in the controls, treatment with Cd2+ substantially enhanced biofilm generation and increased Cd2+ adsorption. Cd2+ adsorption by its own secondary metabolite prodigiosin produced by KMR-3 was enhanced by 19.5 % compared with that observed without prodigiosin. Through transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR, we observed that Znu protein-chelating system regulated gene expression (znuA, znuB, and znuC), and the efflux mechanism of the P-type ATPase regulated the expression of genes (zntA, zntB, and zntR), which were significantly enhanced. Through the combined action of various strategies, KMR-3 demonstrated a high tolerance and removal ability of Cd2+, providing a theoretical basis to treat Cd2+ pollution.

Mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of Cd2+ on prodigiosin synthesis in Serratia marcescens KMR-3.

Prodigiosin (2-methyl-3-pentyl-6-methoxyprodiginine), a red-colored microbial pigment, is produced in large quantities by Serratia marcescens KMR-3. This bacterium can grow in a medium with a Cd2+ concentration of 500 mg/L, but it does not produce prodigiosin when the Cd2+ concentration in the medium is higher than 140 mg/L. Therefore, we investigated the mechanisms by which Cd2+ inhibits prodigiosin synthesis. Upon addition of Cd2+ to the medium, the expression of the prodigiosin (pig) gene cluster was significantly downregulated. Simultaneously, genes encoding proteins related to the synthesis of arginine and proline(prodigiosin precursors) were significantly downregulated, while the degradation-related genes were upregulated. Furthermore, PigF, which encodes a key enzyme involved in the synthesis of 4-methoxy-2,2'-bipyrrole-5-carboxaldehyde and PigC, which encodes a key enzyme involved in the last step of prodigiosin synthesis, were downregulated by 80% and 55%, respectively, following Cd2+ treatment. As PigC and PigF are located on the cell membrane and are involved in the final steps of prodigiosin synthesis, the cell membrane might be presumed to be the site of prodigiosin synthesis. The bacterial membrane exhibited different degrees of elongation, folding, fragmentation, and sagging after the addition of Cd2+, while likely destroying the site of prodigiosin synthesis.

Curcumin combined with photodynamic therapy, promising therapies for the treatment of cancer.

Curcumin, a phytochemical derived from the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), has a broad group of substances with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anticancer activities. The anticancer activity of curcumin and its derivatives are mainly related to its regulation of signal transduction pathways. However, due to the low oral availability of curcumin, fast metabolism and other pharmacokinetic properties limit the application of curcumin in the treatment of cancer. Evidence suggests that curcumin combined with photodynamic therapy can overcome the limitation of curcumin's low bioavailability by acting on apoptosis pathways, such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and caspase family, and affecting cell cycle. This paper reviews the structure and pharmacokinetics of curcumin, focusing on the anticancer activity of curcumin combined with photodynamic therapy and the effects on cancer-related signal pathways.

An overview on the biological activity and anti-cancer mechanism of lovastatin.

Lovastatin, a secondary metabolite isolated from fungi, is often used as a representative drug to reduce blood lipid concentration and treat hypercholesterolemia. Its structure is similar to that of HMG-CoA. Lovastatin inhibits the binding of the substrate to HMG-CoA reductase, and strongly competes with HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR), thereby exerting a hypolipidemic effect. Further, its safety has been confirmed in vivo and in vitro. Lovastatin also has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective effects. Therefore, the biological activity of lovastatin, especially its anti-cancer effect, has garnered research attention. Several in vitro studies have confirmed that lovastatin has a significant inhibitory effect on cancer cell viability in a variety of cancers (such as breast, liver, cervical, lung, and colon cancer). At the same time, lovastatin can also increase the sensitivity of some types of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs and strengthen their therapeutic effect. Lovastatin inhibits cell proliferation and regulates cancer cell signaling pathways, thereby inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This article reviews the structure, biosynthetic pathways, and applications of lovastatin, focusing on the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of action.

[Decoloration and degradation of direct pink 12B by microwave-promoted heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction].

Microwave-promoted heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction, the combination of Fenton-like reagent with microwave, is an efficient method for waste water treatment. In the present paper, the degradation of direct pink 12B (a kind of organic dye) was studied using this method was studied. Through numerous experiments, the influences of various parameters including the initial pH value, dosage of Fe-Ni-Mn/AlO3, dosage of H2O2 and microwave were investigated intensively. The characteristic curve of direct pink12B, the concentration-absorbency curve of direct pink12B, the orthogonal optimization tests and comparative tests were given. In this paper, the mechanisms of this reaction were also been probed. It is concluded from the experiments that the microwave can accelerate the process of degradation effectively. Under optimal conditions, the overall color removal was more than 99.0% within 10 min. In the study, all the characterization was carried out using UV-Vis spectral-analysis.

[Study on the hydrolysis distribution of ferric saline by infrared spectrophotometry and single crystal X-ray diffraction method].

The hydrolytic stability of Fe(a), Fe(b) and Fe(c) in different pH values of poly-ferric-flocculants was studied by using Fe-ferron time by time complexation colorimetry. The research results showed that Fe(b) was unstable, and all Fe(b) was transformed to Fe(c) after 10-15 d placement. The content of Fe(c) tended towards stability after 10-15 d. Also, the content of Fe(a) tended towards stability after 10 d. The single crystal was synthesized by the method of direct crystallization in Fe(III)-SO4(2-) water solution at normal temperature and its structure characteristic was studied by single crystal X ray diffraction method and IR (infrared spectrophotometry). The research results showed that there was no group of Fe-OH-Fe, Fe-OH and binary ferric complexed with two hydroxyl groups in the single crystal synthesized from the ferric aqueous solution in low pH (pH was about 0.5). The form of Fe in single crystal was all Fe(III). The chemical formula of the single crystal was Fe(H2O)6 (SO4)2NH4 x 6H2O when the ammonia water was used as the alkalinizing agent. One reason was that with the evaporation of water, these single crystals were synthesized at pH 0. 5 despite of different initial pH and different initial alkalinizing agents. Another reason was that the hydrolysis distribution of ferric saline was unstable. Therefore, it was not easy to obtain the single crystal of Fe(III)-hydroxy complexes or Fe(III)-polymer at low pH value. The study showed that infrared spectrophotometry and single crystal X ray diffraction method have a good prospect in the research on hydrolysis distribution of flocculants.

[Study on apparent kinetics of photocatalytic oxidation degradation Rhodamine B by photo-Fenton reaction].

The Fenton process, mixed by hydrogen peroxide and iron salts with highly oxidative effect, is recognized as one of powerful advanced oxidation technologies available and can be used to destroy a variety of persistent organic pollutants. The oxidation power of Fenton reagent is due to the generation of hydroxyl radical (* OH) during the iron catalysed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in acid medium. The hydroxyl radical with a high oxidation potential (2.8 eV) attacks and completely destroys the pollutants in Fenton process. The degradation of pollutants can be considerably improved by using sunlight radiation, which is due to the generation of additional hydroxyl radicals. This photo-Fenton process had been effectively used to degrade the pollutants. In this paper, the definite quantity of Fenton reagent was added in the definite concentration of Rhodamine B solution. The degradation reaction was carried out at pH 3.5 under natural sunlight. The factors influencing on photocatalytic oxidation degradation rate of Rhodamine B were studied following: the initial concentration of Rhodamine B, initial concentrateions of Fe2+ and H2O2. The orders of degradation reaction were obtained by solving exponential kinetics equations of curve fitting, thereby gaining the kinetic parameters and reaction dynamics equation of the reaction system. The research contents included mainly: the UV-Vis spectra of Rhodamine B solution, the concentration-absorbency work curve of Rhodamine B solution, the analysis of the reaction system at various initial Rhodamine B concentrations, the analysis of the reaction system at various initial Fe2+ concentrateions, the analysis of the reaction system at various initial H2O2 concentrations, and the calculation of the apparent kinetics parameters in reaction dynamics equation. The reaction dynamics equation from experiments was constructed: V = 5 x 10(-9) P1.28 F0.366 E0.920, and overall reaction order was 2.57.

[Studies on light catalysis oxidation degradation of Malachite Green by Photo-Fenton reagent].

In the present paper, light catalysis oxidation degradation of Malachite Green by Photo-Fenton reagent was researched. The influences of various parameters such as the wave length-absorbency curve of Malachite Green, the concentration-absorbency curve of Malachite Green, initial pH, optimum dosage of Fe2+, optimum dosage of H2O2, different light sources and cation-exchange resin, on dye degradation were researched. Through numerous experiments, the optimum condition for Malachite Green degradation was given. Under the optimal conditions, the sun light can promote this reaction apparently and the reaction time can greatly be shortened too. After the cation-exchange resin was introduced into Fenton system, the activation of Fenton reagent for degradation reaction was enhanced to a great extent, and the degradation effect of Malachite Green was better.